Storing acetylene



Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED. STATES,

PATENT OFFICE FRANK ROFFEY, or NonTor'r-on rnns, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR To IMPERIAL CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES LIMITEDQA. CORPORATION or GREAT BRITAIN STORING ACETYLENE No Drawing. Application filed September 29, 1930, Serial No. 485,338, and in Great Britain November 28,

This invention relates to the storing of I acetylene under pressure in cylinders or receptacles filled with solid absorbent material impregnated with an acetylene solvent.

Hitherto the solvent used for this purpose has been acetone, but the use of this substance is associated with certain disadvantages arising from its ready volatility. It has also been proposed to employ a solution of benzophenone in solvents such as amyl alcohol, acetic acid, acetone, methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol.

According to the present invention acetylene is stored under pressure in cylinders or receptacles containing a suitable absorbent,

such as kieselguhr, kapok, or the like, impregnated with a solvent for acetylene which is a relatively non-volatile ether, ester, or mixed ether-ester, of a polyhydric alcohol, or

mixture of two or more of such substances,

together if desired with other relatively nonvolatile solvents for acetylene. It is to be understood that the terms ether, ester, and mixed ether-ester include partly etherified or esterified polyhydric alcohols.

The boiling points of the solvents used may range from 150 C. upwards, but in some cases solvents of lower boiling-point may be used. Typical solvents suitable for use according to the invention are the following (1) Ethcrs Glycol di-ethyl ether (boil- CHZ-O-CZHS ing point 190 C.)

(5) Ether-esters l oxyethyl acetate (b0i1 OH2-O.C2H5

' lng Y onzococn,

' CH OCOGHQ Glycerol .di-acetate (diacetin) (boiling point CHOCOCH 7 CH OH.

PWfly 'fi r yhydm'c (110076025 Glycol mono-ethyl ether 2-O.G H

(boiling point'134 O.) OHZ'OH. I onzocgin Glycerol di-ethyl ether 1 (boiling point 190 0. (HO-C2115 CH2.O.H.

The solvents of which those enumerated above are typical are characterized by their low vapor-pressure at the ordinary temperature. Thus ,8-ethoxyethyl acetate has a vapor pressure at 20 C. of 7.0 mm. of mercury, and glycerol di-ethyl ether a vapor pressure of 3. 5 mm. at the same temperature. Glycerol dl-acetate has a vapor pressure of about 3 mm. at the ordinary temperature and ,B -diethoxy-n-propyl acetate a vapor pressure of about 4 mm. Compared with relatively volatile-solvents (of which acetone, the vapour pressure of which at 20 C. is 180 mm., is typical) therefore, the solvents specified bring important advantages in that the loss of solventon discharging a cylinder is miniinized and the gas obtained is not appreciably contaminated by the vapors of the solvent liquid. Further the cylinders may be more ployed, namely -30 atmospheres.

completely discharged than in the case of an acetone filling. Thus in the case of a cylinder of litres capacity the loss of acetone on discharging from 15 atmospheres superpressure to 2 atmospheressuperpressure' is about 60 0. e. per cubic metre of discharged gas-,while on discharging from 2 atmospheres superpressure to 1 atmosphere superpressure,

gm. of acetone are carried away and 'a'further' 200 gm. on emptying the cylinder to zero superpressure. lVith acetone filled cylinders, therefore, it is inadvisable to discharge completely, whereas with cylinders filled with the largely unvaporized and retains the bulk of the acetylene in solution, thereby diminishing the risk of explosion; also the total pres sure developed on a rise'of temperature is smaller than with acetone.

As is usual in acetylene storage technique I the gas should be'dried beforecontactwith the solvent; preferably it should be passed over calcium chloride before and after com pression. The usual pressures may be $111- 1e amount ofacetylene dissolved in most cases compares favorably with that taken up by the usual volatile solvents thus the solubility of acetylene in cellosolve acetate is roughly 90 percent. of that in acetone at the same temperature. x

As many apparent and widely different embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the foregoing examples or descriptions except as indicated in the following claims:

I claim:

being closed and of withstanding internal pressure, a packing of solid absorbent impregnatedwith a solvent for acetylene as defined in claim 3,: and acetyleneinitially dis;

'- solved in the solvent under pressure.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

FRANK ROFFEY.

1. The method of storing acetylene which 7 comprises dissolving acetylene in material comprising a solid absorbent impregnated with a relatively non-volatile derivative'of a polyhydric alcohol.

2. The method of storing acetylene which comprises dissolving acetylene in material comprising a solid absorbent impregnated with a relatively non-volatile derivative of a polyhydric alcohol having a boiling. point above 150 C.

3. Means for storing acetylene under pressure comprising a receptacle containing a solid absorbent impregnated with a solvent for acetylene which is a relatively non volatile ether, ester or mixed ether-ester of a polyhydric alcohol.

4. Means for storing acetylene a'sclaimed in claim '3 in which the solvent has a boiling point above 150 C. i

* 5 .M n forstoring acteyl'ene'as claimed 

